A Northern Ireland Under-16 team are set to take part in an international tournament in Wales next week.
Head coach Kris Lindsay has selected a 22-strong squad to compete in the inaugural Gary Speed Cup where Northern Ireland will take on Gibraltar, Japan and host nation Cymru.
The Cwpan Gary Speed is a new invitational U16 football tournament being held in North Wales to honour the legacy of former Wales international and manager Gary Speed, a pivotal figure in Welsh football who tragically passed away in 2011.
First up for the U16s in the tournament is a game against Gibraltar on Tuesday (26 August). It is being staged at Ruthin Town’s ground in Ruthin and has an 11am kick-off.
Then, next Thursday, they will face Japan at the same venue and once again it is an 11am start.
Their final game is against Cymru in Colwyn Bay on Sunday 31 August (10.30am).
Lindsay said the tournament would be “a really good challenge” for the Northern Ireland players, adding that the U16s will face different playing styles and footballing cultures across the three games.
He further said participating in the tournament would be "an important part of our young players' development".
His squad is largely made up of players from the Irish FA JD Academy.
The Football Association of Wales, which is organising the tournament, said: “This prestigious event offers a unique opportunity for elite youth players to experience international football in a competitive yet developmental environment.
“It is more than a showcase of emerging talent, it is a celebration of the values that Gary Speed stood for: leadership, dedication, and pride in wearing the shirt.”
The Northern Ireland U16s squad features:
Goalkeepers – Matthew Belshaw (Glentoran), Phoenix Blayney (Larne).
Defenders – Alfie Mulvenna and Jude Crawford (both Larne), Preston McKeown (Coleraine), Alfie Pollock (Glenavon), Daniel McCarron (Dungannon Swifts), Cohen Ennis (Crusaders).
Midfielders – Rory Prenter and Adam Nelson (both Glentoran), Bailey Magee and Jayden Doyle (both Glenavon), Conor Wilson (Coleraine), Liam Kelly (Derry City), Cillian Murray (Cliftonville),
Forwards – Jay Forsythe and Mason Ayre (both Glentoran), Harry Hughes (Tottenham Hotspur), Odhran McHugh (Finn Harps), Rocco Devlin (Dungannon Swifts), Michael Mulholland (Crusaders), Noah Vaugh (St Mirren).
Image: The U16s trained in Crumlin earlier this month ahead of next week’s tournament in Wales.
